- IMAP server
- mail.example.com
- Port
- 993 · SSL/TLS
- Username
- full address
- Password
- mailbox password
cPanel / Dovecot → cPanel / Dovecot
Migrate email from one hosting provider to another
Host to host is technically the easiest migration — you control both ends. The difficulty is elsewhere: choosing the moment to switch the MX record so that nothing arriving during the transition is lost.
- IMAP server
- mail.example.com
- Port
- 993 · SSL/TLS
- Username
- full address
- Password
- mailbox password
What breaks on this particular pair
- Lower the MX TTL a day before the cutover, or some senders will keep delivering to the old server for another two days.
- The login is almost always the full address: anna@domain.com, not anna.
- If mail.domain has already moved, connect to the old server by IP address.
- A self-signed or mismatched certificate is normal on shared hosting — enable accepting unverified certificates.
- Migrate with user access paused, otherwise new mail lands in both mailboxes at once.
FAQ
Common questions
How do I avoid losing mail during the move?
Lower the TTL, move the bulk of the mail, switch MX, then run a second pass a day later. The repeat run copies only what is new and never duplicates.
Do mailbox settings move too?
No. IMAP carries messages and folders. Passwords, aliases, forwarders, autoresponders and filters are configured again on the new host.
How long does a host-to-host migration take?
There are no provider caps here, so bandwidth is the limit: about 4–5 GB per hour. A 10 GB mailbox takes roughly two hours.
Related routes
Other directions
Find out how big your mailbox is. It costs nothing.
Connect two servers, look at the size and decide. Or take the client and keep everything on your side.
Code on GitHub · built on imapsync · no sign-up